Secret Reporters No place to hide
Secret Reporters
Proceeds of oil sales gotten from the oil-rich Niger Delta region is said to be the major financier of the Nigerian budget and continues to do so, largely because of the huge oil deposit in the region and the nation’s reliance on it. While this is supposed to translate into massive development for the region, the reverse is the case, as oil spillage and chemical leakages generated by multinational companies have sniffed life out of the fishing business which is the major source of livelihood of the people.
Sadly, while efforts are still been made to clean up Ogoni land with the billions of Dollars released so far for the herculean task, Foropa Community located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Bayelsa State has become the latest victim of yet another hazard allegedly orchestrated by Chevron Nigeria.
In a tweet made by one of the affected victims, it was revealed that the coastal shores of Foropa Community, which we learned, houses the largest deepwater operation in the country have been littered with dead fishes along the seashores alleged to be a result of chemical leaks from Chevron offshore platform, said to be the largest explorers of oil in Nigeria.
It was also gathered that the leaks from the exploration platform of the Agbami Field located in Foropa Community, Southern Ijaw LGA further resulted in the contamination of the drinking water and air being inhaled by indigenes in the community.
Unable to continue with their fishing activities, residents of the community who are predominantly fishermen according to sources, ignorantly resorted to picking the dead poisonous fishes laced with chemicals from the platform.
This action as expected took its toll on the people especially children as information available to SecretReporters showed that the various health facilities located within the community are almost overwhelmed with sick adults and children crying out over severe stomach pains.
“our parents in the village can neither drink clean water nor breathe non-vitiated air, our rivers are filled with hundreds of poisonous fishes and the Nigerian State carries on like nothing is wrong” bemoaned one of the victims.
Despite numerous complaints and calls to the management of Chevron operating in the community to expedite action to clean up the area and restore the livelihood of the people, no word has been heard from them.
Sources also revealed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigeria Oil Spill Detention Response Agency (NOSDRA) saddled with the responsibility of supervising the exploration activities of the has not lifted a finger in their defence as it concerns compelling the company to carry out an immediate clean up of the chemical leak.
